Alzheimer’s/Dementia

One in 59 children in the United States lives with a form of autism spectrum disorder, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The signs of autism begin in early childhood and can affect individuals differently. However, many with autism share similar symptoms, including difficulties with social communication. Researchers from the University of

Multiple genes are implicated in Alzheimer’s disease. Some are linked to early-onset Alzheimer’s, a condition that develops in one’s 30s, 40s and 50s, while others are associated with the more common late-onset form of the disease. Eventually, all Alzheimer’s patients develop dementia, and their brain cells die. But not all genes linked to the disease

Alzheimer’s disease currently affects more than 5.5 million Americans and is one of the costliest diseases to treat, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. Characterized by a buildup of plaque in the brain, few animal models exist that researchers could use to study this devastating disorder. Now, a team of researchers from the University of Missouri,

Saliva testing of amyloid-β42 (Aβ42) levels may contribute to the prevention of Alzheimer's disease (AD) by determining AD risk and guidance on the use of prophylactic nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), new research suggests. Canadian investigators used a salivary ELISA test to measure Aβ42 levels in saliva. They found that elevations in Aβ42 levels in persons at risk for

It’s a paradox of Alzheimer’s disease: Plaques of the sticky protein amyloid beta are the most characteristic sign in the brain of the deadly neurodegenerative disease. However, many older people have such plaques in their brains but do not have dementia. The memory loss and confusion of Alzheimer’s instead is associated with tangles of a

In a new multi-center Phase II/III clinical trial, Saint Louis University researchers will test the safety and efficacy of an investigational drug’s ability to slow the decline of brain function and possibly delay or prevent Alzheimer’s disease in those at risk for Alzheimer’s disease who do not yet have symptoms of the illness. George Grossberg,

People with Alzheimer’s disease are known to have disturbances in their internal body clocks that affect the sleep/wake cycle and may increase risk of developing the disorder. Now, new research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis indicates that such circadian rhythm disruptions also occur much earlier in people whose memories are intact

Have you resolved to take better care of yourself in the new year? Here’s a relatively painless way to do it: Catch a few more zzz’s every night. A third of American adults don’t get enough sleep, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Chronic poor sleep has been linked to cognitive decline,

Researchers probing the complexities of Alzheimer’s disease have detected issues involving cellular energy production, and those problems may be an important contributor to the late-onset form of the illness. A team at Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital tested the cells of late-onset Alzheimer’s patients and found malfunctions in their energy production, including problems with the health of

Using new methodology, scientists calculate that approximately 6 million American adults have Alzheimer’s disease or mild cognitive impairment, which can sometimes be a precursor to the disease. The estimate, funded by the National Institutes of Health, also forecasts that these numbers will more than double to 15 million by 2060, as the population ages. The